Candidates for the four at-large seats on the Boston City Council answered questions from Wicked Local editors on Monday morning, staking out positions on the rise in violent crime in the city, public school funding and curriculum, and Occupy Boston that were, for the most part, similar.

Brett M. Rhyne

Candidates for the four at-large seats on the Boston City Council answered questions from Wicked Local editors on Monday morning, staking out positions on the rise in violent crime in the city, public school funding and curriculum, and Occupy Boston that were, for the most part, similar.

In attendance were all four incumbent councilors-at-large: Felix G. Arroyo, John Connolly, City Council President Stephen Murphy and Ayanna Pressley. Also present was former council member and 2009 mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty, who was asked, “Are you running for city council now just to make it easier to run for mayor in 2013?”

Flaherty responded that he was focusing on the current race, and that “a year is an eternity in politics.”

Candidate Will Dorcena, was absent.

Political newcomer Sean Ryan rounded out the group. Ryan bluntly voiced opinions that he described as more conservative than his opponents’. He came out firmly against a citywide sex education curriculum in the public schools, saying parents want the option of “having that talk” with their kids themselves and not having the government do it for them. He strongly supports public funding for charter schools.

Ryan struck law-and-order themes when he attributed the rise in violence to increased drug use — although he did favor treating addicts over incarcerating offenders — and when he said the Occupy Boston protesters “should have gotten a permit.”

Arroyo most strongly supported the occupiers’ rights to congregate and speak freely. Flaherty thought their message is unclear. Connolly said they are protesting lack of access to the American Dream, but he also echoed Ryan’s concern about the occupiers’ unpermitted status fostering lawlessness. Pressley felt the occupiers should “work with us” — that is, work within the system to make change.

All the candidates felt the rise in homicides and shootings this year would be best addressed through social service programs aimed at inner-city youth. Suggestions ranged in scope.

Pressley offered the grandest proposals, urging action to “break the cycle of violence” in families, including domestic violence in the discussion, and talking about a sex-and-health-education curriculum in the schools.

Repeating a mantra of “prevention and intervention,” Connolly stressed doing more through the schools, including placing social workers and psychological service providers there. Murphy talked about the need for inner-city youth to have “positive role models” who could mentor them. Arroyo took that a step further, advocating for people, including himself, to take personal responsibility for kids they know and for the generation of youth as a whole.

Arroyo and Pressley admitted they struggle when asked their opinions about charter schools. Arroyo seemed to feel that charter schools cherry-pick their students, thereby presenting an inflated view of their accomplishments, and that public resources ought to be spent in public schools. For his part, Ryan was unequivocal in his support of charter schools.

Pressley said she wants to support any school that succeeds, but also voiced reservations about charter schools’ student selection processes. Connolly said charter schools pressure public schools to do better; Flaherty said they offer parents choice; and Murphy dubbed charter schools “the real community schools.” None of the three spoke to the resources question, instead talking about how waste could be eliminated from the Boston schools’ $1 billion budget and how those funds could be better allocated.

With the exception of Ryan, all the candidates supported Pressley’s proposal for a comprehensive sex-and-health-education curriculum throughout Boston’s public schools, so long as it includes a parent opt-out.

Flaherty added, “There’s lots of things kids and families need,” rattling off a list of academic subjects. Arroyo seconded that, adding more school activities: “Sports, even big sports, like football, baseball, basketball. Languages! In this world of globalized business, what parent wants their child to graduate high school only knowing one language?”

Murphy pointed out that the city council does not have line-item control over the city budget; it can mandate how much to cut, he said, but not where to cut. Earlier, he had sounded similar cautions regarding the education and transportation budgets as well, noting how little authority the council over those areas.

The candidates only came to consensus on one issue presented to them: the case of some Roslindale residents who want to grow Gallus gallus domesticus (chickens), which is currently illegal in Boston. They all came out in support of domestic poultry husbandry, although Murphy said he wanted to “check with the Health Department people first.”

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